The Tampa Bay Lightning will host the New York Rangers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers] on Wednesday night at Benchmark International Arena. With injuries piling up, the lineup remains very much in flux as we get closer to puck drop. One thing is clear: the Lightning will be without defenseman Ryan McDonagh and center Dominic James [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning], who have both been placed on injured reserve and will miss a minimum of seven days. Additionally, the Lightning have called up Boris Katchouk and Scott Sabourin from the Syracuse Crunch. McDonagh left Saturday’s game early after blocking a shot with his left foot late in the first period. Following Tuesday’s practice, head coach Jon Cooper said he expects the veteran defenseman to miss a “few” games. “I’m probably not putting him at day to day quite yet, but it will be soon. Just the guys aren’t progressing the way we’d hoped,” Cooper said Tuesday. Meanwhile, James took a puck to the right side of his face in the second period Saturday, briefly going down the tunnel before returning to play eight more shifts in visible discomfort. The seven-day IR period begins the day after the game in which the player was injured, meaning both would be eligible to return on Sunday, November 16. Additionally, Victor Hedman and Pontus Holmberg are listed as day-to-day and neither participated in morning skate on Wednesday. If Hedman can’t go, the Lightning would have just six defensemen and would need to make another call-up. Nick Paul is expected to return soon but is still building strength back in his wrist following surgery prior to training camp. He has been participating in practice, though he remains day-to-day. Anthony Cirelli, one of the Lightning’s most reliable two-way players, left Thursday’s game in Vegas and did not play against the Capitals [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals] on Saturday. He returned to practice Tuesday, skating with the team for the first time since the injury, however he was not at morning skate on Wednesday ahead of their matchup. Puck drop is at 7p.m.
